Cheap prepaid Internet for short stay in Germany? [merged]

[inquisitor]

Regarding internet access O2 loop and Tchibo are the same service (both use the O2 network), however Tchibo is € 5 cheaper per month. But if you already have some of those free O2 Loop SIMs waiting for you, it doesn't really pay off to buy a Tchibo SIM (and pay shipping costs) for a single month of use.
Regarding connection software the T-Mobile Web'n'Walk Compact card II, which is produced by Option, should work with this version of O2's "connection manager".
But if you use O2 Loop, you could also use the T-Mobile connection software, since O2 Loop doesn't require a (correct) APN to be set. So even if T-Mobile's APN is preconfigured in the T-Mobile software it will still connect through O2 Loop.

[siskiou]

One more question:
are there any cheapo cellphones without SIM/Net-Lock available?
Since I have 3 O2 Loop Freikarten, I could use one in the phone, and have an easier time loading exactly the amount I need onto my card, plus I could use the extra cards for emergency phone calls, if needed.
It would have to be a really cheap phone, though, or one that I could later use with prepaid sim cards in the US.

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by siskiou

One more question:
are there any cheapo cellphones without SIM/Net-Lock available?
Since I have 3 O2 Loop Freikarten, I could use one in the phone, and have an easier time loading exactly the amount I need onto my card, plus I could use the extra cards for emergency phone calls, if needed.
It would have to be a really cheap phone, though, or one that I could later use with prepaid sim cards in the US.

SIM/Netlock free phones start around 20-30 Euro in the electronic retail stores. But these are usually EU-dualband models and useless in the US.

Chris

[9eor9]

Dear guys,

bring your stuff to Vienna to Semaf Electronics - www.entsperren.org / Startseite

They unlock nearly everything, also data cards, sticks, modems, Blackberrys etc.etc. for 10-20 €.

Have a look!

[siskiou]

I'm back from my visit to Germany, and used my unlocked T-Mobile card, plus an O2 sim (I tried one of their Freikarten to see if it worked and then loaded it and ordered their unlimited internet for one month).

This worked in most areas I went to. As long as I was in or near a major city, things were fine, but in less lived in areas, the only available UMTS net that showed up was T-Mobile.

[Motel75]

Originally Posted by siskiou

I'm back from my visit to Germany, and used my unlocked T-Mobile card, plus an O2 sim (I tried one of their Freikarten to see if it worked and then loaded it and ordered their unlimited internet for one month).

This worked in most areas I went to. As long as I was in or near a major city, things were fine, but in less lived in areas, the only available UMTS net that showed up was T-Mobile.

That's because O2 roams on T-Mobile outside urban areas.

[siskiou]

Originally Posted by Motel75

That's because O2 roams on T-Mobile outside urban areas.

Does that mean I should have been able to connect through T-mobile in those areas (I thought I remembered something about the roaming)?
I tried many times, but it was a no-go.

[inquisitor]

The cheapest unlocked quadband phone, which would also work back in the US, is a Samsung SGH-M310 for € 61 incl. shipping within Germany.
A complete list of unlocked quadband phones available from German online retailers can be found at: GSM ohne Vertrag Preisvergleich bei Geizhals.at Deutschland

[siskiou]

Thanks again for all the help!
If everything works out with the configuration, I should be all set for my visit to Germany!

Am looking forward to seeing how much things have changed there during the last 5 years!

[inquisitor]

Yes, in this posting from February 10th the seller stated, that the offer is still valid.